


Reassurance

by 5_Minutes_2_Midnight



Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005), Torchwood
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, Goodbyes, Post-Episode: s04e16 Waters of Mars/ AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-18
Updated: 2015-05-18
Packaged: 2018-03-31 01:46:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,838
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3959776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/5_Minutes_2_Midnight/pseuds/5_Minutes_2_Midnight
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"The Waters of Mars" AU: the Doctor visits Jack between WOM and The End of Time: Part 1 to say thank you and goodbye. (Spoilers) NO SLASH</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! \^_^/ Hi! I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> So I know that at the beginning of The End of Time: Part 1 it doesn't look like the Doctor just had a heart-to-heart with anyone when he steps out of the TARDIS, so realize now that this is written as completely AU. And I know it happens like a season later, but please, for me, pretend that Waters of Mars takes place really soon after Last of the Time Lords. I just didn't want to have to deal with all the problems Torchwood has afterwards, if I'm being completely honest.
> 
> Disclaimer: *Sigh* no. Alas, it has not happened yet; and, while I hate to admit it, I probably never will T_T
> 
> As a constant preface: I don't have a beta, so I want to explicitly state that if you see ANY mistakes (i.e. to vs. too, Doctors vs. Doctor's, an extra comma... Etc. *no matter how small!*) just tell me. I'll try to fix it ASAP. Just give me the whole phrase (for reference) and what needs to be changed in it. There's nothing worse when I see a mind-blowing sentence but my mind focuses on the ONE missspelling... ;)
> 
> And one more thing: Have you ever read or heard someone recite something, but can only think of the original voice (or what you think it would be—like for a book) in your head? ...Wow, okay, that sounds a lot weirder written out. Point being: I do lol so there are a lot of "Easter Eggs" in my longer fics of quotes adapted from books/movies/tv shows etc... Not gonna lie, some are really ambiguous, but see if you can spot any of them and drop me a review! You may find some I didn't even think of! I'll leave my "inspiration" at the end of each chapter. Happy hunting! \^_^/

 

There's no way to know what kind of trouble the Doctor will bring with him until he comes. Though, maybe that's not the right order: There's no way to know what kind of trouble there _could have been_ , until the Doctor comes and stops it. Contrary to the common misconception on Earth, the Doctor isn't a threat any more than a meteorologist predicting a destructive hurricane. But, regardless, you never know what will happen when a 1960s police box lands on your doorstep. Or, in this case, just across the street from it.

It was weird seeing someone in the tourist center. Or rather, it was weird seeing someone in the tourist center who was holding neither a camera nor a box of pizza. And the man standing in front of Ianto was definitely not a tourist. There was something about his persona that gave him the look of a traveler; but not the kind that would show up in Cardiff for its lovely weather and exciting museums.

And, beyond that, he looked anything but energetic to be there: an air of solemn resignation followed in his wake; the red of his eyes detailed—what Ianto could only guess as—hours of crying; and his body language alone screamed his exhaustion and age. The man couldn't have been over 45, but the way he carried himself you'd think he'd lived a thousand years. And all of this in a 10-second window from the moment the stranger walked in. Ianto always was good at reading people. "Can I help you, sir? There's a selection of brochures for attractions around the city on the shelf behind you." Ianto was sure that's not what he wanted—he had almost definitely established that this man's intentions weren't for perusing the sights—but it was worth a shot, right?

"I need to talk to Jack."

Ianto hesitated, "I'm sorry, sir, but there's no one here by that name."

He gave an exasperated sigh, and his demeanor changed to that of impatience. "This _is_ Torchwood Three's base, is it not?"

Ianto stiffened, "You must be mistaken; but if there's any other way I could be of service—"

"I'm sorry, but I'm running out of patience and time—the latter of which is _inconceivably_ precious to me.* Jack's talked about you, Ianto Jones—quite fondly, I might add. But, Ianto, I _need to talk to Jack._ Now." The man gave a bark of laughter, startling Ianto not only for its suddenness, but for its sheer lack of humor. "You could say it's a life or death situation."

"I—um—I—" he gave up. Despite Ianto having no idea if this man was friend or foe, he seemed genuine in his request. "I think he's downtown. There's a bar off Bute Street—The Packet—he frequents there if he needs a distraction." The man mumbled a thank you and turned to go— "You're him, aren't you? Jack's Doctor?"

The Doctor stopped, mid-step, and tensed. "Yes," he said finally, not even turning to face him, and swiftly pulled the door open and disappeared onto the Plass.

Ianto stood numb for a few moments longer before coming to his senses and pulling out his phone and dialing Jack. But, of course, it went unanswered. Typical. "Jack, if you get this, call me back; it's important. There's someone on his way to see you." He hung up, leaving his message purposefully vague, in hopes that Jack would call him if only out of curiosity.

But, really, it was a five-minute walk; and with the Doctor's long, determined strides, it was cut to just over three. And with how rowdy the bar was, no vibration could compete with seeing the subject the message was about show up in front of you.

Jack wasn't even fully aware of his surroundings to begin with—not the best habit to break, but times were tough—there was a gorgeous blonde capturing his attention... And his girlfriend wasn't half-bad-looking either. But when a ghost from your past shows up in front of you, just a few feet past the object of your (supposedly undivided) attention, you tend to take notice. "Excuse me—Dylan—sorry to cut you off short—but there's someone else I need to see right now." He nodded an apology to both audiences and politely excused himself, walking over to the one person who could tempt him go against any better judgment.**

_TBC_

* The Princess Bride (1987): Vizzini repeatedly says "inconceivable" when referring to the "masked man" — *spoilers!* ;)

** Torchwood: Season 1, Episode 1


	2. Part 2

Jack didn't know what to expect. Why would the Doctor be here, now, so soon, out of the blue? In a way, Jack was terrified: if the Doctor's around, then usually there's trouble. And if the Doctor's around, then usually it's bad. "Doctor," he said, a slight question of concern hidden underneath. Jack tried to ignore the red of his eyes and the way he strained to hold himself upright.  


But he firmly replied, "Captain."

"It's good to see you; though I'm not quite sure why I am."

He shifted nervously, and Jack noticed his almost-instantaneous scan of possible escape routes— _like he doesn't even know if he wants to be here,_ Jack thought. "I—I need to talk to you. Can we go somewhere quieter?" _Somewhere more private._ Jack understood.  
"Yeah, sure, one minute." He finished off his drink, waved over the bartender, thanked her for her service, and left more than enough money for what he'd had. "Is the TARDIS nearby?" He asked, gesturing in the direction of the street. "That's definitely... Quieter." The Doctor nodded his approval and they moved away from the bar. "A perfect gentleman," Jack praised when the Doctor held the door open for him. He returned Jack's grin with a shadow of a smile that they both knew was forced.

The whole walk over was surprisingly silent. So surprisingly silent that Jack couldn't decide whether it was actually uncomfortable, or the Doctor was just lost in his own thoughts. _But that's not like him; the Doctor is usually incapable of knowing when to shut up._ Yet Jack was afraid to be the first one to say something; so he waited. And waited. And waited. Until finally they reached the TARDIS—parked quite conspicuously in the middle of the Plass—not 50 feet from the tourist entrance of Torchwood's base.

Jack looked on as the Doctor pulled out his seemingly-average key, noticing that as he tried to put it in the hole, his hands shook slightly, trying to cover it up by blaming the ship because he "hadn't oiled the key hole in a while;" and how he's been "meaning to do that" but keeps forgetting. Jack still didn't say anything, though, hoping the Doctor would confide in him once they were on his ground and in his haven.

He finally opened the doors, and everything hit Jack like a tidal wave. Those strong memories—both good and bad; the familiar hum of the ship's engines; the calm lighting welcoming her pilot home. Jack smiled, relishing in the fact that he was somewhere safe and welcoming. And apparently the Doctor felt that way too: his body instantly relaxing, and his breathing becoming deeper, like the TARDIS was the only place with clean air. _It probably is,_ Jack mused. The Doctor moved farther into the TARDIS, so Jack followed suit, closing the door behind him. Unsure of what he was supposed to do, he began mindlessly walking around the room, waiting for a cue from his host.

"Thank you."

Jack was so lost in thought, and the words were so sudden and subdued, that he almost didn't hear the Time Lord. But he turned toward the noise, a look of confusion written on his features. "What?"

"I haven't got much time, but I came to say thank you. For everything, Jack. You have no idea how much you've helped me through everything."

"…This doesn't just sound like a thank you; this sounds like a goodbye. Doctor, is something wrong?"

The Doctor took a shaky breath, letting it out slowly while fixing his eyes on the ground. "Not sure yet—"  


"Doctor" Jack said sternly, taking a few steps closer and bending down to make eye contact.

"Jack, I—" he sighed, "I went too far. I'm just shy of a millennium; that's longer than I deserved."

"Doctor. What. Is. Wrong?"

"Jack. Jack, I was out of line—and I did something bad—and I—" the Doctor ran his hands through his hair and turned away, leaning over the controls. "There are so many possibilities. You know that, right? So many infinite, endless, interchangeable possibilities? But it wasn't supposed to be, Jack. This wasn't supposed to be."

Jack made an attempt to move closer, just wanting to provide him support, but the Doctor grew tense and Jack immediately stepped back again. "I didn't—I shouldn't—I interfered. We aren't supposed to interfere! We were raised to watch, but I killed her. I saved her and so I killed her! She was supposed to be a hero, a great legendary thing,* and I ruined it.  
"I felt it change. Everything. _Every possible future_ change into something it wasn't meant to be. I felt it, Jack. It's terrible."

"It's okay, Doctor. Everything's going to be okay." He knew it was an empty promise—a blatant lie, really. But what was he supposed to say? The Doctor's breathing became more ragged, his head bowed low, and it was such a pitiful sight—like watching a child trying to compose himself after a nightmare. And it wasn't like he'd never faced a distressed child before, but this was different. So horribly, impossibly different. How are you supposed to console someone who is almost eight _hundred_ years older than you are? Who has _eight hundred_ years of experience and knowledge and pain and suffering and heartache and—

How are you supposed to make them feel better?

The Doctor collected himself, straightening up and pretending that he didn't just have a breakdown. His voice became mild again, and Jack thought that maybe that was even worse—putting no emotion into something so obviously important. But he understood; he'd done it hundreds of times himself. The Doctor cleared his throat, swallowing back the tears threatening to spill.  


"I'm going to die, Captain," he said plainly, pivoting to face Jack squarely. "Or at least I think I am. Not regenerate," he added, when the man in front of him opened his mouth to protest. "Die, Jack. Forever." Jack was shocked into silence and slightly shrunk in on himself, not knowing how to respond to that prophecy. "But I wanted to say thank you. After everything I put you through, you stood by me and forgave me, and I don't think I ever properly thanked you."  


Jack swallowed whatever feeling that was that stuck in his throat and made it hard to breath, and pulled the Time Lord into a hug, hoping to reassure the Doctor that someone was there for him—would always be there for him. At first the Doctor tensed under him, but after a moment relaxed into the embrace, and soon Jack could feel something cold and wet on his neck. He pulled back, still holding onto the Doctor, but holding him at arm's length. "There's nothing to forgive," he said, wiping away the Doctor's tears, "I mean, I'll take a thank you any day," he added with a small smile, "but you weren't expected to give one." The Doctor took another step back, and Jack let him, releasing his grasp and letting his arms drop to his sides.

"I have to go," he said quietly, shaking his head and running the back of his hand over his eyes. No one else in the universe could understand what he was sacrificing by willingly going to the Ood. But Jack came close.  


Said man just nodded, knowing there was no way to stop him—and even if there was, what then? It could only make things worse. "Come back if nothing happens, yeah? Let me know you're alright?" The Doctor gave a short nod in agreement, all but ending any further conversation on his end. Jack stood at attention and saluted. "Sir." But when all he received was a forced smile and mock salute in return, he turned to go, wishing to any higher power that the Doctor would ask him to come with. But they both knew that was never going to happen; and they both knew Jack would never say yes. So he made his way to the exit, and, with one final look towards the Doctor—who was now heavily slumped over the console, back facing Jack, head hung low—, opened the door and quietly left.

Jack stayed there for another few minutes; leaning against the TARDIS doors, not even sure why he was still there. He'd left... So why couldn't he _leave?_ He slid down the frame, waiting for the ship to dematerialize or for the Doctor to come back out looking for him. But neither happened. So he eventually stood up and turned to look at the beautiful blue box, hoping it wouldn't be the last time. With great reluctance he walked away, hearing and watching the ship fade into nothing when he looked over his shoulder a few minutes later. Jack sighed, heading back the way he came, hoping to drown his sorrows a little more before dealing with the everyday mysteries of Torchwood. He'd had enough mystery for one day.

He'd never even told him what happened, Jack realized. Yeah, sure, he was given the general idea—the Doctor went too far, changing a fixed point and facing the consequences when the woman found out and "righted his wrong." _She was supposed to be a hero;_ but Jack would never know who the woman was, now. No one would. Only a Time Lord has the power to see all of time and space laid out in front of him.  


Eventually Jack managed to find his way back to the base, coming in through the public entrance hoping to find Ianto there. Fortunately he did, and fortunately Ianto didn't pull back when Jack walked right up to him and wrapped his arms around him like the world depended on it. After a few moments Ianto mumbled into his ear, "I need to breath, you know." Jack apologized, letting go and stepping back, and Ianto could see how red his eyes were—much like the Doctor's when he came looking for him. "You came back." It was spoken as a statement, but Jack noticed there was something similar to surprise and confusion lingering underneath.

"Course I did. Why wouldn't I?"

"You haven't checked your phone yet, have you?" He asked with a knowing smile.

Jack blushed slightly, embarrassed because (like always) Ianto knew something Jack probably should have known too. "I, uh, I was just about to."

"Don't bother, Jack; it's irrelevant now." He took a deep breath: "The Doctor came _here_ for you first, and by the look on your face I assume he found you. I just wasn't sure if you would leave with him again."

Jack didn't know what to say. There were no words to describe why he had left his team before (none that would reassure them anyway). "Ianto, I'm not going to leave you again. And the Doctor knows that—knew that," he amended quietly.

Jack looked at the ground, and when Ianto gently cupped his hand around Jack's cheek and lifted his face, he saw the tears in the corners of his eyes. He hugged him again, hoping to give him some comfort. "You wanna talk about it?"

Apparently it was the wrong thing to say, as Jack immediately pulled back and tried to pretend that nothing had happened. "What? No, nothing's wrong." He tried to give him a smile, but, by the concerned look on Ianto's face, knew it probably fell short. "C'mon, let's get out of here. Maybe we can finally spend some time alone together." Jack put an arm around Ianto, steering him out of the shop and onto the busy Plass, hoping to leave his encounter behind him.  


_End_

 

* The Princess Bride (1987): VIZZINI to FEZZIK at the Cliffs of Insanity: You were supposed to be this colossus. You were this great, legendary thing. And yet he gains.

Sooo? :) Tell me what you think!  
Also, although it's "ended," it's a weird, open ending and I was thinking of making some kind of sequel? Or possibly turn this into a series—not necessarily reliant on each other, but more of whom the Doctor goes to see after WOM; or (more likely lol) all the times he comes to Jack in distress? (I'm really unoriginal about that, but I fricken love Jack, and it's super disappointing to me how few times the actual shows cross over.) I don't know, I'll have to think about it some more... Opinions?


End file.
